Stephen Sondheim was arguably one of the best ever composers in the field of musical theatre and certainly the best of his generation. Young Stephen battled domestic instability and a tough relationship with his mother to emerge as a child prodigy, as he started learning piano at the age of seven and wrote his first musical when he was fifteen. His neighbour in Pennsylvania, Oscar Hammerstein II, was responsible for fostering in him an interest of writing for musicals and also taught him a lot on this subject. Soon after his graduation, Stephen Sondheim started auditioning his songs, but struggled to get anything substantial for a few years. He faced frustration as two of his Broadway musicals were cancelled, but eventually announced his arrival with ‘West Side Story’. Over next four decades, Stephen Sondheim staked his claim to being one of the very best by delivering numerous brilliant performances, both with his music and lyrics. He also forged extremely productive partnerships with Harold Prince, John Weidman and James Lapine. He wasn’t afraid to try the unconventional and his concept comedies achieved a lot of success. Stephen Sondheim left a rich legacy and his staggering body of work will continue to mesmerize audiences worldwide.